


Pressure Point

by Ononymous



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, Pre-Undertale
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-10
Updated: 2019-05-10
Packaged: 2020-02-29 12:00:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,198
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18777850
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ononymous/pseuds/Ononymous
Summary: It hadn't shaken out like she'd hoped, but Alphys was here now, with hopes mounting, and she would make good on it.She would make something from it, at least.Anything...





	Pressure Point

**Author's Note:**

> Original suggestion: I know it's a relatively basic request, but given the lab entries, see if you can "recreate" Alphys's perspective on injecting mosters with determination in a more detailed and story-like manner. I've tried reading other people's stories about it, but none of them just clicked with me. Maybe you can give it a shot?

> **GastOS v4.7.159, Copyright 207X-209X.**
> 
> >cd ../home/gast01-pd01/AppServer/liveApps/DTX105/
> 
> >run dtExtract.exe -a
> 
> **DT Extractor Drivers v 1.0.5, Copyright 209X.**
> 
> Specimen detected. Begin extraction?
> 
> >n
> 
> Standing by...
> 
> File -> Settings
> 
> Minimum DT Concentration: 0.075
> 
> Save
> 
> Settings saved. Specimen detected. Begin extraction?
> 
> >y
> 
> Extraction Underway
> 
> Extraction Efficiency: 92.7%
> 
> DT Concentration: 10 mmol/L... 35 mmol/L... 50 mmol/L...

* * *

_It was a day etched in everyone's mind, albeit for different reasons. When she recalled it, it was mostly what everyone had said. The Oohs and Aahs as the star made his grand début, occasionally pointing at her while she waved timidly, part of his spontaneously generated adulation trickling down to her. And then the climax. When the crowds parted and a wall of purple and gold approached, a smile of interest on his face._

_"So this is what everyone has been talking about?"_

_"A mere 'what'? Moi? Surely you mean 'who'. And that 'who' is the glorious Mettaton! A pleasure to meet you, majesty! I'd bow, but unfortunately the good doctor hasn't installed those servos yet."_

_"Um, one step at a t-time, Mettaton. It's important your b-base features are fully functional."_

_"Yes, well, howdy- Oof! That's a strong grip you've got there."_

_"All the better to hold on to the marvellous impression you have of me, sire."_

_"Omigosh, he's like SO dreamy..."_

_"And rectangular! That's so hot."_

_"I assure you m'dears, my cooling system keeps me well in check."_

_"I gotta write that line down for when I start acting school..."_

_"Excuse me, Doctor... Alphys, was it?"_

_"Y-yes, sire."_

_"Might I ask what this fellow is?"_

_"Of course! He's the r-result of a bunch of different things I've been b-building for a long time, figuring out h-how to get the arms working w-was surprisingly difficult. And I originally thought h-he might be useful for the war, so I loaded him with human e-eradication utilities, b-but I couldn't get the power core properly balanced, but th-then we decided-"_

_"That the Underground doesn't need another pointy stick to point at the humans. It needs a star. Et, voila!"_

_"My, you sure are confident, Mister Mettaton. It's almost as if you have a soul."_

_"Almost? Almost?! My dear liege, there's no 'almost' about it!"_

_The silence following that claim still deafened her when she thought about it._

_"You mean... this box has a soul? That's even hotter!"_

_"A robot with a soul? Amazing!"_

_"Um y-y-yes, he has a soul, b-b-b-because-"_

_"Like, is it like a human soul?"_

_"Alas, my darling Ratty-"_

_"It's Bratty-"_

_"My soul is that of a mere monster in raw power. But I think there's plenty on the outside to appreciate before you dwell on what's inside."_

_"That's r-right, because when I finished the b-b-body he-"_

_"She created a soul? Woah, she's incredible!"_

_"It's n-not like that, he's a-"_

_"Now now, dear doctor, learn to take a compliment when it's offered. After all, I wouldn't be standing here in this body before this adoring crowd if it weren't for your tireless labours."_

_"Hap- M-M-M-Mettaton, you know y-y-you're actually-"_

_"Doctor Alphys. How would you like to be the Royal Scientist?"_

_All eyes on him. Then her. All of them. And a few other organs too._

_"W-w-w-w-w-w-w-well sir, if you t-t-think my robotics can help in the w-w-w-w-war..."_

_"Perhaps. But I believe your work with souls has far greater value to the kingdom."_

_"S-souls?! B-b-but M-Metta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ton's a-"_

_"Huge supporter of his creator's sudden dramatic opportunity! Congratulations!"_

_The smile. It was everywhere. Especially the King. Along with something else. Hope. "He's just a ghost" would shatter it. Wasn't... wasn't that crueller?_

_"...I'll do my best..."_

* * *

> DT Concentration: 250 mmol/L... 275 mmol/L... 300 mmol/L...
> 
> **WARNING:** DT Levels of specimen at critical levels, Pneumointegrity in jeapordy, end extraction process immediately to avoid depletion of-

_Click._

The low guttural hum of the machine ceased immediately as the yellow claw on the STOP button withdrew. Sinister hissing replaced it, the coolant system venting now its task was complete. None of these sounds phased the operator of the machine, well used to making the machine stop directly rather than typing in the halt command on the console. It took longer to set up for the next extraction cycle, but it greatly reduced the risk of pneumointegral collapse and complete loss of the specimen. She scurried over to the heart of the extractor, opening the glass chamber the greasy black skull-like assembly loomed over. As usual, the cyan heart made her scales appear a sickly green, though it was much dimmer than before. She never let herself touch it again for at least a week after an extraction, to give it time to recover. Hopefully, this would be the last time she had to for a while.

Returning the jar to the bench where its five companions shone silently, Alphys then took the delicate glass container from the dispenser attached beneath one of the extractor's hollow eye sockets. It was filled with a dull golden substance. Not the worst collection from S-01, she mused, but still far from the sunkissed shimmer of S-04 or S-06. Returning to the console revealed a final recorded extraction of 342 mmol/L. She recalled scribbles on the original blueprints, which when deciphered hinted that the extractor could be configured to gather much more from each different type of soul, hypothetically seven different approaches to tap into the full potential of the human soul. She'd never dared to try these different settings. While her observations over the harvest showed no longterm damage to a soul if allowed to recover, and thus no limit to supply, this only applied if you resisted temptation to take it all at once. The last thing she wanted to do was squander the King's hard toil. Also, it bought her time.

In a room next to the extraction chamber, a maze of glass pipes was suspended above a bunsen burner. An empty glass container of the sort Alphys currently carried was attached to one end, a smaller similar one filled with a bright golden elixir to the other. Alphys approached the titration assembly, swapped empty for full and full for empty, turned on the gas and used a spark from her finger to light the burner. While the latest batch would be refined and concentrated to ensure her entire stockpile was of a consistent quality, she examined the DT concentrate from S-05. It hadn't been much brighter than the batch she'd just hooked up, but now it was perfect. She opened the fridge adjacent to the flame of the burner and found room for it.

Time. It wasn't as though she wasted it. Even if she had, it was unlikely the King would call for her head. But this stage of her project was at an end, and she wished it wasn't. A few more days, a few more uses of that machine, and she'd be ready to begin her experiment in earnest. This phase had almost been comfortable, immersed as it was in engineering and electronics and something approaching chemistry. The next step was a bold one, a step into realms she had never studied or experimented with. But everyone thought she had. All that hope in the crowd that day. Sometimes it threatened to carry her along with it, to believe it. But her tail had a habit of curling round her leg, as if to trip up the flight of fancy. She doubted Asgore ever had to deal with such false hope like that, or that there was only one thing she could do: Make good on the promise.

With the work of her comfort zone all but complete, she allowed herself to dwell on those smiles for the first time in days. Keeping them at bay had been pretty easy as she had studied her predecessor's schematics and reverse-engineered their prototype and written miles of code. The road was well understood to her. But at last she was at the checkpoint. The subjects were due soon. Now the work would be hers alone.

It would be fine. Yes. Definitely. This was fine.

* * *

_"Yah, this is fine."_

_"Alright, Mister D-Drake, please sign here. And here."_

_"...and... heah. Dem guaads takin' her, now?"_

_"Yes. Best n-not to linger."_

_"'s foh tha best, I s'pose. My brothah, he confirmed she's too fah gone... still, looks like a cuppa coffee should wake her up, right? She always wanted ta do her paht for tha war."_

_"Of c-course, sir. And I'm sure she w-won't feel anything."_

_"They do say thaht, stop feelin' this world before the end... Doctah, ya mind if I...?"_

_"Go ahead."_

_A wing resting tenderly on a forehead. No response._

_"...see yah, Crystie. We'll always have da one about tha Froggit an' tha Madjick at tha tea pahty. Snowy, ya mothah's about ta leave! If ya want ta say bye..."_

_"No, I don't want to, she'll be back!"_

_"Alright, son... thaht boy. He doesn't wanna undahstand. Can't force it, can I?"_

_"N-no."_

_"Just been writin' jokes, hopin' they wake her up. A comic has ta know when to leave tha stage."_

_"I wouldn't know, Mister D-Drake."_

_"Nah, you're doin' somet'ing moah impohtant. Best of luck, Doctah."_

* * *

> **MediThaum Monitoring v3.3.2, Copyright 211X**
> 
> Patient: Drake, C.
> 
> Status: F. Down
> 
> EXP: 0
> 
> LV: 1
> 
> Pneumo-Magical Output: 14.6 J*kg/s
> 
> DT Levels: Trace
> 
> **WARNING:** PMO approaching minimum required for body integrity. Teratoclastic Failure imminent.

"Imminent" was about as close as Monster Medical Science could come to predicting how much time the Fallen Down had left, and even then it could mean anything from a few hours to a fortnight. As Alphys examined the monitor for the other vital signs - brain activity, circulatory activity, byproducts of magical breakdown and similar - the ever decreasing margins of the unsteady lines suggested it was closer to the former. Still, when discussing these cases in hospitals in preparation for her research, it wasn't unheard of for PMO to hold steady for days, or even rise again in a final flare-out before complete collapse. The DT levels were no surprise. The only monster ever to have registered higher than "Trace" was Asgore, and even compared to the weakest of human souls it was a fraction.

That would change today.

It had been Asgore that steered her onto this path. Not directly of course, the man wasn't a scientist, but the properties of a Boss Monster soul to hold together beyond their bodies, even if only for seconds, was the key. Once she had deciphered the cryptic scribbles of her predecessor and followed where they led, the power she had been taking from the humans clearly resided in Asgore, something confirmed when he allowed her to poke him with a needle. He hadn't looked happy about it, but was delighted he could help her. So with that hypothesis confirmed as much as possible, the question became how to give other souls this power. And this was what she had devised.

Her stockpile of Determination had been divvied up into syringes containing what she designated 0.2 of a Gore. One Gore was equivalent to the DT level of Asgore, hence the name. It was a scale devised at short notice and clearly had monster scales in mind, for humans would have many hundreds of Gores. The experiment would be simple, she hoped. Everyone in this makeshift ward would receive at least one injection, or 0.2 Gores, of DT, and some would receive more. Her observation cameras above each patient would keep track of when they finally passed away - planning to be present at the exact moment would be impossible - and the footage examined for signs of a soul surviving the loss of its body, and the dose could be suitably adjusted with future subjects until one lasted long enough to be captured in a jar like those of the human souls, where she believed they could be preserved until it was time for the King to make use of them. With this in mind she opened a refrigerated case, took out a golden syringe, cleaned a spot on her patient's wing,

And did nothing.

The needle rested beneath her feathers, prodding hard enough that a healthy monster would have complained about pain. But Alphys didn't apply that last bit of pressure. Why? No going back. That was what was racing through her head. The momentous weight of this act. Everything up to this moment had been potential and possibility. Once the experiment started, it would crystalise, solidify into a conclusion, and the experiment would probably not work and she'd have no idea what to do next and she couldn't gather any soul power and she'd have to tell Asgore and he would look so disappointed that-

_That you didn't even try, darling._

She had no idea why it was Mettaton's voice she heard, shaming her hesitation. Probably because he had tried. He reached out, he asked, and he was building a massive following to reward him. It put her hesitation in perspective. The experiment might fail. But if she never did it it certainly would. And she'd have taken all these people for nothing. She thought of the crowd of hopeful faces, and for once let herself get carried away. This WOULD work. Probably.

The needle broke skin, pushing all the way in, and Alphys gently squeezed the plunger until the syringe was flushed clean of its contents.

And just like that, nothing happened.

There were no sudden change in readings, no twitches or sudden movements or hideous mutations or even an explosion. The anticlimax of the injection forced a giggle from her mouth. All that overthinking for nothing. Then again, overthinking was her speciality. What felt like a massive hurdle moments before was now a tiny boundary to step over. Wiping her surprisingly damp brow, she took out another syringe and worked on the next patient.

It took her an hour, but eventually everyone had received at least a dose. Returning to the first patient, her DT Level now read 0.186 Gores. An efficient absorption rate, all things considered. The hard part was over. Though she could have returned to her office and done something else, instinct suggested she sit down and wait on a subject to pass, like she owed them to be present at least for the first. So she grabbed a stool and waited.

And waited.

And waited...

* * *

_"Psst... Please... wake up..."_

_"Aw, I hate this part."_

_"B-but it's you saying it, highness."_

_"I don't like this plan anymore..."_

_"But my voice always sounds so weird on TV, doesn't yours?"_

_"I couldn't t-tell."_

_"Six, right?"_

_"Thanks for not telling Dad, by the way."_

_"You're- I... He's very b-busy these days. This would d-distract him."_

_"Yeah, I guess."_

_"We just have to get six..."_

_"You don't think the plan was kinda messed up, though?"_

_"Oh I'd n-never call the Prince messed up!"_

_"I never said I was messed up, just the plan. Though maybe I was."_

_"And we'll do it together, right?"_

_The tape rewound, despite neither pressing a button._

_"I d-d-dunno, if anything the human-"_

_"You think they're all like that?"_

_"Psst... Please... wake up..."_

_"I couldn't say, highness, they might be?"_

_"Wasn't there one book you read where a human caused a building to collapse on his enemies even though it killed him? Maybe my friend was acting like that."_

_"M-maybe."_

_"I don't like this plan anymore..."_

_"Does it bug you, though?"_

_"What?"_

_"That the war was started over a lie?"_

_"A l- no! Y-you still went to the surface, you still got attacked, you still d-d-d-"_

_"I still may have provoked them, for all you know. Maybe I got what I deserved."_

_"I d-d-don't believe that."_

_"You don't want to believe it."_

_"No, I... I said I'd never doubt you..."_

_"No, I don't."_

_"Then it was all their fault?"_

_"I'm not s-saying that, I..."_

_"Just six, right?"_

_"Hee hee hee, don't worry about it, Alphys. What's done is done. Not like you can ask me anyway. Better to focus on the now."_

_"And we'll do it together, right?"_

_"Y-yeah... moving forward..."_

A jabbing pain opened Alphys' eyes, and she felt the cold tiles pressing against her cheek. Her glasses were poking the scales near her eyes, where she'd fallen from her seat, asleep. It took her a moment to remember what she'd been doing. Glancing at the clock she saw it was the early hours of the morning, and her heart lurched. She'd probably missed what she'd been waiting for. She clambered to her feet and looked around.

Every bed was still full. It took her a moment to confirm, as their occupants were deathly still and quiet, but none had dusted. This wasn't impossible, as predicting the exact moment was almost impossible, but the odds that not one had let go of the mortal coil was slight. She approached the first patient she'd injected. Signs were identical to the previous evening. Even the injected DT hadn't deteriorated at all, 0.186 Gores. The body had successfully retained it, and even the PMO was holding steady. Trying to make sense of it she reviewed the footage of the observation cameras. The only thing of note for every patient was the moment she had injected them. After that it was as though they were frozen in time.

To clear her head and allow more time for something to happen, Alphys spent some time on her other project. Opening the door of the Botany lab, her nostrils wrinkled at the pungent pollen in the air, and eyed the prime subject. It was easy to note, slightly larger than its golden brethren, but that was divorced from Alphys' ministrations. It had always been slightly larger. Why this one? Well, it was the first flower to bloom after the Queen had left, that's what she'd thought. But really, what difference would that make? A flower was a flower, after all. Alphys knew that some decisions really were arbitrary, that they were truly absent logical reasoning. This flower being the vessel over others was one of those, she reckoned. First to bloom, first to volunteer.

Not that it had mattered. She'd carefully measured the flower and its controls before beginning the injections. All of them had not changed at all, even deprived of Asgore's usual green thumb. She'd started this experiment first to confirm the purity of what she'd refined, and to see if there would be any unanticipated side effects of exposing it to monsters. When there were none, she proceeded. The inertness of this experiment was concerning her now, junctioned with the great big heap of nothing in the ward. She sat before the vessel for a while, trying not to think about what happened when this hit a roadblock.

It was a surprise to her when she grabbed another syringe and injected into the stem in a single motion. Like she was desperate for something to happen, to make it all worth it. Immediately she scolded herself, insisting that doing such a thing on her patients would be crazy.

Not to worry. Alphys, the flower, the Fallen. They'd do it together.

* * *

_"Four works better, dear."_

_"The t-textbooks say five is right."_

_"I always heard four. Count them, one, two, three, four!"_

_"Some sources don't c-count the thumb, Mettaton."_

_"How bizarre. Well anyway, I just had these new gloves fashioned for them, so four will be fine for now."_

_"Ehh, f-fine. Hold still. Okay, it's h-hooked up. Rotate your wrist. The whole 360. F-faster. Stop. Any complaints?"_

_"None at all! Smoother than a Snowdin road! And the chassis for the next model is coming along superbly."_

_"T-thanks."_

_"My my, you're the best thing in my life, Doctor."_

_"You think so?"_

_"Without a doubt. Now, the new model should be ready for my one year anniversary, correct?"_

_"Um, if all goes to, uh..."_

_"Yes yes yes, my life is going splendidly. Everything I try, a hit! Can you imagine success falling into your lap like that, darling? Oh, but you don't need to."_

_"I d-don't?"_

_"Your royal employment, Alphys dear! All in pursuit of our liberty! You must be making real bounds and strides."_

_"Oh. Well, I don't want to l-let the King down."_

_"Well that's obvious. You could barely keep eye contact with him last time I saw you together. His, hmm, hirsuite physique is not what I would opt for, but I can see the appeal."_

_"Oh, no! Th-that's not what I- I mean I'd n-n-never-"_

_"Of course you wouldn't, dear. And I fear he'd never return your feelings regardless. His heart still aches for another. Quite the striking image, the forlorn ruler, and I shalln't help him wreck it. Not even for you."_

_"B-but I don't want you to!"_

_"Good. If you truly wish to win him over, your mind shall be what you wield. Now, goes your latest experiment?"_

_"I-"_

_"Oh! Sorry, love to chat, but I have an interview in half an hour. Must dash. Good luck with it, sounds fascinating!"_

_"...y-yeah..."_

* * *

> **MediThaum Monitoring v3.3.2, Copyright 211X**
> 
> Patient: Drake, C.
> 
> Status: F. Down
> 
> EXP: 0
> 
> LV: 1
> 
> Pneumo-Magical Output: 14.9 J*kg/s
> 
> DT Levels: 4.21 G
> 
> **WARNING:** PMO approaching minimum required for body integrity. Teratoclastic Failure imminent.

"Imminent" had no meaning anymore.

Three weeks had passed. The patients on the ward had not changed, although conditions on the ward had. The floor was littered with energy drink cans and empty syringes. Jittery yellow claws were finally trying to address this issue, but were having a hard time gripping onto them. Finally Alphys availed of an industrial vacuum to suck everything up, then looked at her work with little satisfaction. It was feeling like her experiment now had no endpoint. Her subjects should have died by now, and even if they hadn't bequeathed a soul to her, she could return the dust to the families and that would be the end of it. And yet they refused. Leaving her with the difficult job of returning them to families who must have already said their goodbyes. She didn't look forward to reopening those wounds.

She retired to the botany lab, often where she noted her results these days, and compared measurements taken before the injections and the latest. She no longer paid any heed to the perfectly unchanged vessel or the empty case of syringes next to it, she'd been focusing on the live subjects who should no longer be live. It felt like all she'd discovered was a novel means of preserving monster bodies, and...

Bodies...

Part of her brain wanted to confirm how stupid she had been, but the thrill of a new line of inquiry forestalled it. The DT hadn't been strengthening monster souls, not directly. It was strengthening the manifestation of their souls, their bodies. That might explain why they lingered in the twilight of life like that without any major change. All she had to do was... what, exactly? The soul could not be isolated on command, that was the very problem she'd faced to begin with. The new line of inquiry led to another brick wall. One thing was clear however: The desperate mania for something to happen and her response to it was counterproductive. Best to let things happen now without any further input. Asgore hadn't asked for a progress update for a while, she figured she had time to-

Eyes. Open and looking at her.

* * *

> **MediThaum Monitoring v3.3.2, Copyright 211X**
> 
> Patient: Drake, C.
> 
> Status: Awake
> 
> EXP: 0
> 
> LV: 1
> 
> Pneumo-Magical Output: 108.1 J*kg/s
> 
> DT Levels: 4.35 G

"You're sure I can't go home today, Doctor?"

"Just one m-more night's observation, Mrs Drake."

"I suppose better safe than sorry, but my Son's been so worried. I'm determined to put his mind at ease."

"Here here!"

"Arf!"

"Now, you did call my husband, yes?"

"He's the l-last one I need to call. I just have to r-return some things first. Everyone, just relax. I'll b-be back soon... Ah, there you are."

"These really the souls, doc?"

"Yup. The King will d-deal with them, just let him know. Oh, and c-careful with that flower."

"Yeah yeah, he loves his flowers. See you later."

"Bye! Now, the number... Hi, M-Mister Drake...?"

> Pneumo-Magical Output: 108.4 J*kg/s
> 
> DT Levels: 4.36 G

"So, what are you going to do when you get home?"

"Go to Grillby's, where else? I ain't leaving again without settling my tab, wouldn't be fair to leave that on my kids."

"Come on, he wouldn't make 'em pay."

"Can I join in on going there? Never thought I would again."

"Sure, jump in on the fun."

"Well we go there for birthdays, I'm delighted I can take my little Snowy again... Ooh..."

> Pneumo-Magical Output: 109.7 J*kg/s
> 
> DT Levels: 4.41 G

"What's wrong, lady?"

"Nothing, I just feel... a little cold..."

"Well we'll keep ya warm!"

"My, that's so kind, thank you... Ah, that's a little better."

_Seeing so many friends together..._

> Pneumo-Magical Output: 111.3 J*kg/s
> 
> DT Levels: 4.64 G

"Woof?"

"Come on, lady, don't scare us like that."

"Yeah, join the club, I feel way too alive to lose it again."

"Last thing we want is to lose the fun. We just need to... need to... the fun, we..."

> Pneumo-Magical Output: 124.8 J*kg/s
> 
> DT Levels: 5.01 G

"Not so tight, ma'am."

"Oh, sorry. You can move now. I said you can..."

"...I can't..."

"Whiiiine."

> Pneumo-Magical Output: 144.8 J*kg/s
> 
> DT Levels: 5.56 G

"Come... on you guys... this... happy..."

"Yeah... c'mere... join this hug..."

"'kay... feel... happy... fun..."

> Pneumo-Magical Output: 305.9 J*kg/s
> 
> DT Levels: 12.67 G

"Waorof!"

"Getting... real cosy..."

"Don't leave... so... cold..."

> Pneumo-Magical Output: 559.0 J*kg/s
> 
> DT Levels: 19.85 G

"Come on... not let go, join in... so much fun..."

_It fills you with..._

> **WARNING:** PMO rising rapidly
> 
> **WARNING:** DT rising rapidly

"BbBAaARrRKkK!!!"

"Come... join... the fun..."

> **WARNING:** Unknown Error Value(s)

"...cold..."

> **WARNING**

"...yes, I'll l-let you know if things change. Goodbye. O-okay. Log Entry: Seems like this research was a dead end. But at least we got a happy ending out of it? I sent the souls and the vessel back to Asgore. And I called all of the families and told them everyone's alive. I'll send everyone back tomorrow. Close log. Oh, ch-chisps. I shouldn't... oh, it's a s-special day. Hng! G-got them! Oh, I sh-should record some interviews. Log entry: Everyone-"

...

"bBbbbBooOoOowWwWWWWwWWwWoooOOOwwWwWwW..."

...no...

"...make... life... hell..."

No...

"...chisps...?"

No no no...

"...c o l d..."

_No no no no no no no no no no "no no no No No NO NO NO **NO NO NO NO N"**_

_Log entered._

* * *

> **MediThaum Monitoring v3.3.7, Copyright 211X.**
> 
> Patient: Dh\eu _kfhce_ nk\cb.
> 
> Status: Together
> 
> EXP: F*0
> 
> LV: 1101001010101*0
> 
> Pneumo-Magical Output: 3.78 kJ*kg/s
> 
> DT Levels: 99.99+ G
> 
> **WARNING:** [Warnings Disabled]
> 
> >exit
> 
> **GastOS v4.7.159, Copyright 207X-209X.**
> 
> >cd ../home/gast01-pd01/AppServer/liveApps/DTX105/
> 
> >run dtExtractNew.exe -a
> 
> **DT Extractor Drivers v 1.0.6, Copyright 209X-211X.**
> 
> No valid specimen detected. Please insert valid specimen.
> 
> File -> Settings
> 
> Load Specimen Parameters.
> 
> >cd ../home/gast01-pd01/AppServer/liveApps/MediApp/system.patientRecords02.log
> 
> Paramaters loaded.
> 
> Set Maximum Extraction Rate: 5 mmol/L/s
> 
> Enable Passive Medical Monitoring
> 
> Save
> 
> Specimen detected. Begin extraction?
> 
> >y
> 
> Extraction Underway
> 
> DT Concentration: 5 mmol/L... 10 mmol/L... 15 mmol/L...
> 
> >query disamalg_status
> 
> ...No pneumomitosis detected.
> 
> DT Concentration: 30 mmol/L... 35 mmol/L... 40 mmol/L...
> 
> >query disamalg_status
> 
> ...No pneumomitosis detected.
> 
> DT Concentration: 60 mmol/L... 65 mmol/L... 70 mmol/L...

"...ooooaaaaaoooohhhhh..."

> **WARNING:** PMO unstable.
> 
> >query disamalg_status
> 
> ...No pneumomitosis detected.
> 
> **WARNING:** PMO unstable.
> 
> >query disamalg_status
> 
> ...No pneumomitosis detected.
> 
> **WARNING:** PMO unstable.
> 
> >query sisamald-statys
> 
> Command not recognised
> 
> >query disamalg_status
> 
> ...No pneumomitosis detected.
> 
> **WARNING:** PMO decreasing rapidly.

"...hhuuuuuurrrrts..."

> **WARNING:** PMO approaching critical levels, Teratoclasmic Failure imminent. Shutdown recommended.

...

> >query disamalg_status
> 
> ...No pneumomitosis detected.
> 
> **WARNING:** PMO approaching critical levels, Teratoclasmic Failure imminent-

_Click._

"...beeeetterrrrrrrrrrrrrrr..."

"...yeah. B-better..."

* * *

Wake up. Go to computer. Another letter. "Hey doc, when's he coming home?" Ignore. Eat noodles. Clean Mew Mew Figurine. Phone call. "Doctor, people are getting angry." Good, they're right. Watch latest episode. Order more doggy chow. Another phone call. "Doctah, when can we see-" Hang up. See more letters. Dump them on desk. Work on body. More calls. "Come and see this delightful teacup." Obey. He looks happy. But not really. The flower's gone. Phone ringing. Ignore. Go home. Ignore heap of letters. Go _down there_. Feed them. Get away. Catch up on emails. "DEAR DOCTOR ALPHYS DO YOU KNOW WHEN WE CAN SEE-" Fall behind on emails. Go to bed. Switch off phone. Go to sleep. Go to sleep. Go to sleep. Time to get up. Stretch legs. "Hey Alphys, what's happening with-" Stretch legs faster. Reach garbage. Stare into abyss. Feel belonging.

" **NGAH!** "

"Ah!"

"Ha, got ya good, fuhuhuhuhu!"

"D-don't scare me, I c-could have fallen..."

"Oh crap, you're right, sorry. So watcha looking at?"

"Oh, n-nothing..."

"Really? 'cause you were lookin' at it really hard."

"Was I? Sorry..."

"Nothing to apologise for. Staring at something with all your might means you got something to do with your life, right? So okay, what's out there?"

"What's out... w-where?"

"What you were staring at, what do you think's out there?"

"I don't know! I wasn't r-really thinking about it, I was j-just... maybe..." A scratch of her head. "Answers."

"Uhhhh, sure. You sound like Gerson when he tried to teach me Zen. Pshaw! Hey, what's your name?"

"A-Alphys."

"Oh, you're that nerd Asgore told me about! Well I'm Undyne, Captain of the Royal Guard!"

"Oh, h-hello."

"Yeah, howdy. Hey, can I ask you something?"

" _Noyoucan'tseethem!_ "

"Uhhh, see what?"

" _NothingImean_ \- What d-did you want?"

"Your work involves knowing about humans, right?"

"Yeah..."

"Think you could help me brush up? I wanna be ready for when another human comes down. I gotta know their fighting techniques."

"Oh well there's the Kutoho technique where with their mighty blades they compel their enemies' bodies to destroy themselves, and there's the Tanno technique where their mighty blades are so absurdly sharp their enemies are sliced apart without even moving, and then- Oh, th-those are just..."

"Woah, really? They sound even more dangerous than Gerson described! How'd you know this?"

"Oh I s-saw it on a... Um, a recording..."

"You have movies of them? Can you show me?!"

Alphys felt paralysed for a brand new reason. That razor sharp grin. It was just like the square with Mettaton and Asgore and the crowd. All that hope. The hope she'd bought in on and it had wrecked so many lives, that she would never allow herself to touch again. The hope which was-

"HEY! Quit overthinking things and just say yes or no!"

"Okay yes you can! Um, th-that is if..."

"Awesome! I'll bring snacks."

"Oh, oh! Uh, I h-have soda already."

"Soda? Then I'm definitely bringing snacks, don't wanna rot my teeth. See you later!"

Later. Yes. Deal with it later.

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think, and thanks for reading!


End file.
